Chondrocalcinosis following osteochondritis dissecans in the femur condyles.

Chondrocalcinosis, defined as radiopaque deposits in the joint cartilages and in semilunar cartilages of the knee joint, develops frequently in patients in whom osteochondritis dissecans is diagnosed after the epiphyseal line of the distal end of the femur is closed. Chondrocalcinosis occurred in 2/3 of the cases surgically treated for osteochondritis. The incidence was greater than in knees treated by arthrotomy for ruptured semilunar cartilages. However, the latter show chondrocalcinosis much more frequently in patients without history of injury or arthrotomy. Osteochondritis patients with chondrocalcinosis more often may have joint effusion than patients with other conditions. The chondrocalcinosis is not confined to that part of the joint which was the site of the osteochondritis lesion. The presence of chondrocalcinosis can be correlated with a poor prognosis of the knee including severe gonarthrosis.